Handmade in our London workshop

Diamonds & Gems

All our fine jewellery is handcrafted to the highest standards in
our London workshops and we hand select all of our Diamonds.

We only use quality white Diamonds of a high clarity and superior
cut that maximises the brilliance, fire and scintillation of the
Diamond as well as its carat weight. For Certified Diamonds we
supply a GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) or HRD (The Diamond
High Council) Diamond Grading Report. To find out more go to
Diamond
Grades.

When hand selecting quality Diamonds our jewellers adhere to a
strict criteria called The 4Cs. To find out more go to
The 4Cs. As we are
particularly concerned about where our materials come from,
especially Diamonds, we also have a fifth
Ethical Diamonds requirement where we will only use
Conflict Free Diamonds.

Diamond Grades

The Diamonds we prefer to use are well above the industry standard
for quality. They are as follows:

H Colour VS1 - A near colourless Diamond with discrete, very small
inclusions that can be detected by an expert with varying degrees of
difficulty. This high quality Diamond is non certified below 0.40ct
unless requested.

HVS1 A near colourless Diamond with discrete, very small
inclusions that can be detected by an expert with varying degrees of
difficulty. This high quality Diamond is either GIA or HRD certified
above 0.40ct.

EVS1 A rarer colourless certified Diamond with discrete, very
small inclusions that can be detected by an expert with varying
degrees of difficulty. This very high quality Diamond is either GIA
or HRD certified above 0.40ct, unless requested on smaller diamonds.

DVVS1 A truly colourless certified Diamond with extremely
discrete, very, very small inclusions that can be detected by an
expert with varying degrees of difficulty under 10x magnification.
This premium quality Diamond is either GIA or HRD certified above
0.40ct, unless requested on smaller diamonds.

The 4Cs

When hand selecting quality Diamonds our jewellers adhere to a
strict criteria called The 4Cs, which stands for
Colour,
Clarity,
Cut and
Carat.

Colour

Colour is one of the most important characteristics that determine
the value of a Diamond. An ideal Diamond is totally absent of all
body colour (colourless), unless you desire a rare Fancy Diamond
that comes in the fully saturated colours of yellow, pink, blue,
green, champagne, black, and very rare red.

Diamonds are graded on a precise colour scale established by the
Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) and range from totally
Colourless (D to F) and Near Colourless (G to J), down through a
progression of tinted and lighter yellow colours (K to Z). Fancy
Diamonds - where an intensive hue is an asset - range from Fancy
Light, Fancy to Fancy Intense.

At Stephen Einhorn we like to use premium quality Colourless
Diamonds ranging from D to H.

Clarity

The Clarity of a Diamond refers to its optical quality owing to
the presence of inclusions (internal objects) and blemishes
(external marks) that can be seen under magnification or 10x Loupe.
The fewer and less prominent the inclusions, the rarer and thus more
valuable the Diamond. Almost all natural diamonds contain their own
variation of these inclusions that are minute traces of non-crystallised
carbon or small non-diamond crystals, making every Diamond unique.

The grading of Clarity is based on a standard Clarity Grading
system, with the extremely rare Flawless (FL) being at the peak of
the scale:

FL Flawless or Loupe Clean. These extremely rare Diamonds are
absolutely transparent and free from inclusions.

IF Internally Flawless with minor surface blemishes. These again
are extremely rare Diamonds and are priced accordingly.

VVS1 Very, very small inclusion(s) which are very hard to find with
a
10xloupe.

The size, position and number of the inclusions
determine the distinction between VVS1 and VVS2.

VS1 Very small inclusion(s) that can hardly be found with a 10x
loupe.

The size, position and number of the inclusions determine the
distinction between VS1 and VS2.

SI1 Small inclusion(s) that are easy to find with a 10x loupe.

SI2 are not seen with the naked eye through the crown side.

The size,
position and number of the internal defects determine the
distinction between SI1 and SI2.

I1 Imperfect with inclusions that are immediately evident with a 10x
Loupe but are difficult to find with the naked eye through the
crown.

I2 Large and/or numerous inclusion(s) very easily visible to the naked eye through the crown side and which slightly reduce the
brilliance.

I3 Large and/or numerous inclusion(s) very easily visible to the
naked eye through the crown side and which reduce the brilliance.

Cut

The quality of the Cut can have the greatest effect on the value
of a Diamond. The proportions and symmetry of the facets cut from a
rough diamond will establish its light performance, thus determining
the polished Diamonds brilliance, sparkle, and fire.

As the polishers skill in shaping the stone is paramount the Cut is
the one factor most directly influenced by man. A well-cut diamond
will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another
and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone in a
rainbow blaze. A badly cut Diamond, such as one that is cut too deep
or too shallow, will leak light out through the base or side of the
Diamond, thus diminishing its brilliance and value.

As all of our fine jewellery is handmade in the London-based Stephen
Einhorn workshops, only those that provide the most dynamic light
show are hand selected by our jewellers.

The Cut is not to be confused with the Shape or Style of the
Diamond, which you can read about in our
Shape and Style section of
this guide.

Ideal Cut

When light enters a perfectly cut diamond, it is
reflected from facet to facet and comes back through the top
in a rainbow blaze.

Deep Cut

If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, the light
is reflected to the opposite facets at the wrong angle.

If it is a Deep Cut it will 'leak' light out through the
side of the diamond, thus diminishing its brilliance and
sparkle.

Shallow Cut

If the diamond is cut too shallow, the light 'leaks'
through its base and the eye may see a dull reflection.

Proportion and Symmetry

The proportions and symmetry of a cut diamond are of
extraordinary importance as they have the greatest influence
on the brilliance, liveliness or sparkle of a stone. They
also determine how well the diamond will sit in its
hand-crafted Stephen Einhorn Setting.

Carat

Carat is the standard international unit of weight for Diamonds
and does not refer directly to the Diamonds size. However as larger
Diamonds occur less frequently in nature they can be more valuable,
but only depending upon their rating with the other 3Cs. It is
vitally important that colour, clarity and cut are also taken into
account when selecting a Diamond for aesthetic appeal, quality and
value.

Two stones of equal size can have very different values depending on
their quality. Carat weight does not affect the value in diamonds
proportionately and the larger the stone the more disproportionate
the increase in cost per carat.

1 Carat = 1/5 (0.2) Gram. The Carat is further divided into points;
a unit of weight used only for Diamonds. 1 Point = 1/100 (0.01)
Carat.

When hand selecting Diamonds we take into account all of the 4Cs. We
prefer quality white Diamonds that display the greatest brilliance,
fire and scintillation.

If you require a particular size Diamond of a particular Carat
weight, Colour, Clarity, and Cut we can source this for you as part
of our Bespoke Jewellery Service.

Conflict Free

Conflict Diamonds are rough diamonds that are traded illicitly by
rebel movements in many parts of West and Central Africa to purchase
arms and fund brutal military campaigns. These insurgent groups
perpetrate violent atrocities and human rights violations against
innocent civilians and prolong civil wars. The Kimberley
Process Certification Scheme is an international, voluntary system
that bans the trade of Conflict Diamonds and imposes extensive
requirements on Participants to certify that shipments of rough
diamonds are free from Conflict Diamonds.

We choose to comply with the United Nations backed Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme and refuse to use Conflict Diamonds. We also
insist that our suppliers provide us with written guarantees,
ensuring they do the same.

We offer this pledge on behalf of the millions of innocents who have
suffered displacement, maiming and death at the hands of the rebel
groups who have been funded by illicit diamond proceeds.

Naturally formed gemstones come in a large range of types, in a huge
variety of colours and cuts, from many parts of the world. As all
items from our London workshop are handmade using ethically sourced
materials and labour we hand select all of our quality coloured
gemstones from the huge choice available. Our gemstones are
carefully chosen for their liveliness, richness & evenness of colour
and aesthetic appeal. Any gemstone that does not meet our high
standards is immediately rejected. We only use reputed gem dealers
who keep a close check on the conditions under which their natural
coloured gemstones are mined. Our precious stones are as ethically
sourced as possible.

As we are particularly concerned about where our materials come
from, especially diamonds, we also have a fifth ethical requirement
where we refuse to use conflict diamonds which are inexorably linked
with human rights abuses and conflict in many parts of Africa. We do
not buy or use rubies from Myanmar due to the ongoing situation of
the Rohingya people. It is not acceptable to ignore these abuses of
human rights.

Stephens zeitgeist designs capture the essence of modern
urban life. The smooth, clean lines of his Gypsy and Rub-Over
settings, where the Diamond or Gemstone is flush with the top of the
ring, means there are no prongs or claws to become caught or bent
unlike many traditional settings.

Stephen prefers to use a mixture of modern classic shapes and styles
of Diamonds and Gemstones to complement his contemporary and
minimalist designs.

On special request, Stephen will design custom-made settings for
other Shapes & Styles of Diamond
and Gemstone cuts as part of our
Bespoke Design service.

Stephen Einhorn offers a bespoke jewellery service where we design
and hand make commissioned pieces on special request. Bespoke
engagement rings using premium quality Diamonds and Gemstones in
custom-made settings are our particular specialty. To take advantage
of this service please refer to the
Bespoke Quote section
of this website. Our specialist jewellers will be able to advise you
as to the best quality Diamond to suit your tastes, requirements and
budget.

Diamonds are the hardest substance known to humankind and your
Diamond should last forever with the right care. Coloured Gemstones
are more fragile and also require special care. Therefore we advise
you to take note of our Diamond and Gemstone jewellery care advice
in the Jewellery
Services section of this website.

Opening Hours

Don't Miss Out

This is where you'll hear from Stephen, Jane & the rest of the Team
Einhorn. Come behind the scenes in our London shop, design studio &
jewellery workshops; take a look at exclusive 'making of' snaps; &
read all about 'Our London' - plus so much more!